


What a Tragic Attraction

by StrayGod (orphan_account)



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: College, Guardian Angel AU, Keith is a shitty guardian, Lance is pansexual, M/M, Swearing, keith is gay, lolol nevermind this isn't a slow burn, puns probably, rip lance, save lance, slow burn?, smut will probably come up later?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-10
Updated: 2017-05-13
Packaged: 2018-09-23 09:54:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9650492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/StrayGod
Summary: guard·i·an an·gelnouna spirit that is believed to watch over and protect a person or place.Lance finally meets the source of all his misfortunes. Keith Kogane, his guardian angel. Guardian angels are supposed to be helpful, but no, Lance had to get stuck with the shittest one of all.





	1. One

Lance McClain always assumed his life was cursed. Even from an early age, the shittiest things would happen to him. Like when he was seven and accidentally lost his sisters beloved pet hamster. He just wanted to play with it! How was he supposed to know it would escape and get into the piping system of his house. Or when he was sixteen and wrecked his groups art project. Lance just wanted some damn coffee, but _no_ , that shit had to spill and ruin _everything_.

So here he is. Tears threatening to spill onto his cheeks as his computer crashes. Deleting his thirty page history paper, due _tomorrow_. “No, no, _no_.” He pleads, into his empty dorm room. He grabs the sides of his laptop, shaking it vigorously. The screen still remains black, uncaring to Lance’s anguish.

“You have to be fucking kidding me!” he screeches, launching himself from his desk. He runs his hands through his hair, fighting the urge to rip it out at the roots. “Why? _Why_? What have I done to deserve this shit.” his nails bite into his palms as he clenches his hands into fists, knuckles white.

* * *

 

 Keith picks at his nails as his human throws a tantrum. It was only a history paper, he could always rewrite it. Fuck, why did he have to be such a _baby_ all the time. Granted, he was supposed to stop some of these misfortunes from occurring in Lance’s life, but where would he get his amusement if he did?

“Why? _Why_? What the fuck have I done to deserve this shit.” Lance yells. Keith rolls his eyes, stretching his left wing. Keith was still staring down at his nails, not noticing Lance grabbing a pillow and hurtling right at him. Maybe if Keith had actually done his job as his guardian angel this wouldn't of happened. The pillow strikes the arch of Keith’s wing and he cries out. His glamour falls.

The room is silent as Keith and Lance lock eyes. It’s silent, so, so silent. That is until Lance cries out, falling backwards. “Who the fuck are you?” his eyes are wild and blown wide. Keith flounders for an answer. He didn't know how to handle this. _Maybe if you paid attention during class you would know_. Keith had no clue what the protocol for this was. Was he supposed to knock him out? Disappear?

Keith’s mouth parts before he snaps it shut again. “What are you? Why do you have _wings_? Did I die because I got too angry about my paper?” Lance asks, his hands fidgeting at his sides. “You’re not dead, idiot. I’m,” Keith takes a breath, filling his lungs “I’m your guardian angel.”

 

* * *

Lance stares up at the ceiling, possibly waiting for Hunk or even Pidge to burst into the room, laughing at how great of a prank this was. Surely, this is a prank, right? The heavy silence of the room tells his otherwise.  _Maybe he's just apart of my_ _imagination. Yeah, this is probably just the aftermath of not sleeping for two days._ Lance rubs his eyes, trying to convince himself he's just hallucinating. He blinks. The "guardian angel" is still there. He blinks again. He's still there, massive wings taking up most of the already small dorm room. 

"Are you going to say anything?" the angel quips, tugging down his fingerless gloves. Not only did Lance have a shitty guardian angel, but he was  _emo too._

"If you're my guardian angel, then why has my life sucked? Aren't guardian angels, I dunno, supposed to be  _helpful?_ " Lance asks, exasperated. 

"I call it character building." He shrugs, stretching out his wings. In the process he knocks down some of Lance's textbooks and a cup of pens and pencils. " _Hey!_ Can't you be careful?" Lance yelps, as he scoops up the fallen items. 

"I need to stretch out my wings, because  _someone_ , had a temper tantrum and through a pillow, right at me." he scowls, eyebrows knitting together in annoyance. 

"My thirty page history paper was deleted! I have the right to be upset! You, you probably deserve it since you could have done something to prevent that." Lance points accusingly at his guardian angel. "Fix it." 

"Fix it yourself." Lance sputters at this, eyebrows shooting upwards. "You want me to fix something you should have stopped?" 

"Exactly."

"Fuck you!" He cries, grinding his teeth together. He really does have a cursed life. His heart hammers in his chest, whether in anger or fear, he doesn't know. His life as he knows it, at least, has been turned upside down. If guardian angels exist, do other magical creature exist? Is there a god? Questions flood Lance's head faster than he can comprehend. He's surprised he can even comprehend that he has a _guardian angel_. Did he always have this guardian angel? Is he always present?  _Has he seen me naked?_

Lance clears his throat, standing so me can place the textbooks and pens back on the desk, careful to avoid the feathers of his guardian's wings. "What's your name?" He asks, his voice wavering. 

"Keith." 

"How long have you been my guardian angel?"

"Since you were six or so?"

"You could have stopped MaRIA'S HAMSTER FROM ESCAPING INTO THE PIPES." Lance shouts, much louder than he intended. Keith chuckles into his hand, remembering that accident like a fond memory. A choked sound escapes Lance's throat, appalled that Keith could possibly find that funny. "I was crucified for that! That isn't funny! That poor hamster probably died in those pipes." Lance whines and Keith laughs a little harder. "Hey, you're the one who took it out to play with it, not me."

"You could have stopped it!"

"Maybe." Keith shrugs. "Wait, how come I only met you now? Those wings are fucking gigantic, wouldn't I have, or someone else bumped into you?"

"They usually phase through me. I would have to avoid your touch though. A guardian's human is able to touch them. You know that feeling like someone just touched the back of your neck, those "chills"?' Lance nods, unsure where this is going. Keith shakes his wings. "Those are my wings accidentally touching you." 

" _Really?"_ Lance's eyes widen, as he cups the back of his neck. "Does everyone have a guardian angel?" Lance asks, sitting closer to Keith. "No, not everyone."

"Ah, so I just was lucky enough to get a guardian angel, but of course it would be one who's shitty at their job." Lance deadpans, causing Keith to flare his nostrils. "You're not dead yet, that's good enough." Keith counters. "Yeah, but you could be more helpful, instead of letting my life be an absolute  _train wreck."_

"Where would the fun be in that." 

"Whatever."  Lance dismisses, getting up off the ground. He needs to get his paper back. He grabs his laptop off the desk, tucking it under his arm. "I'm going to Pidge, they'll know how to get my paper back, unlike  _you."_ Lance tells Keith. Keith tucks his wings onto his back, standing up. "Lead the way." he tells Lance, before fading out of existence. 

 

 


	2. Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith tries to explain the world of guardians to Lance.

“You really are my guardian angel.” Lance sighs as his computer boots up. The once black screen is now bright and _beautiful_. Pidge rolls their eyes at Lance’s odd comment, but he can feel Keith’s eyes burning holes in the back of his head. _Yeah, that’s right. Pidge is a better guardian angel than you any day._

“Dude, you just had to take the battery out.” Pidge says, opening up Word. Lance crosses his fingers (and maybe his toes) and to his absolute pleasure his paper is still there. Thirty pages and all. “Pidge!” Lance screeches, scooping them up in a bone crushing hug. A choked sound escapes their throat as they struggle to break free from Lance’s grip. “I am indebted to you for all of time. Holy shit, I owe you so much!” Lance smiles. Setting Pidge onto the floor. Pidge adjusts their glasses, scowling at Lance. “Just never do that to me again.”

“But Pidge, you just saved my life.”

Suddenly a mischievous grin curls their lips. Lance smile falls. He knows that look. Lance suddenly wishes he never brought his laptop to Pidge at all. “Free coffee.” they demand, hands settling on their hips. “What?” Lance asks, dumbfounded.

“I want free coffee from you everyday, for two months.”

“ _Two months_?”

“Do you have a hearing problem, Lance? yes two months.” Lance can feel his shoulders sag at the outrageous demand. His boss, Allura, will _kill_ him if he gave away free coffee, every day, for two whole months. “Pidge, Allura will kill me, please.”

“I guess you’re not as thankful as you seem.” They shrug, and Lance’s shoulders sag. Keith must be getting a kick out of this.

* * *

 

Keith has to stifle his laughter as Pidge hustles Lance. He can see Lance visibly give into their demand by his shoulders sagging forward. He extends a wing and rustles it against Lance’s neck, snorting as he shivers.

“Fine.” Lance pouts, and a huge smile breaks across Pidge’s face. “Thanks, buddy!” they pat Lance on the back, and Lance just stands there, like a broken man. “If I get fired it’s your fault.”

“Allura is not gonna fire you, she likes you too much.” Pidge argues.

“I’ve _bean_ told otherwise.” Lance grins, and both Keith and Pidge let out a collective groan. Lance and his stupid fucking puns. Keith has had to put up with them for fourteen years. It’s a surprise Keith hasn't strangled him. Yet. “Get out.” Pidge demands, moving past Lance towards their door. “Do you have the _grounds_ to do that?” Lance asks, laughing at his own joke. _Well someone needs to laugh_. Keith smirks, fiddling with the gloves on his hands. Pidge rolls their eyes so hard he fears they may just roll out of their head. “Yes, this is my dorm.” Pidge opens the door, gesturing to the hallway. “Pidge, you can’t kick me out so soon.” Lance whines.

“Lance, I have to wake up for class at seven. I need to sleep. I’m seeing you tomorrow anyways. Free coffee, remember.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever.” Lance waves his hand as he leaves. “Thank you again, Pidge.”

“No problem.” the door slams shut.

“You enjoyed every second of that didn't you.” Lance growls as he walks back to his dorm. “Yep.” Keith whispers into Lance’s ear, before he buffets him lightly with his wing, causing him to trip. Lance cries out, clutching his computer closer as he nearly falls over. “What was that for?”  
Keith shrugs. “You know, you looked like you just talked to yourself right?” Keith grins as Lance pales. He glances around at some students who are sparsely scattered in the hallway, uncaring that Lance just talked to thin air.

* * *

 

 _Shit, fuck. I forgot no one else can see Keith_. Lance looks around, but all the students look like they could give less of a fuck. Right. _Right, this is college, we’re all going a little crazy._ He hurries to his dorm. His paper needs to be printed before some bullshit happens again. He flops on the bed, flicking on his light as Keith suddenly appears at his side. Lance may or may not have yelped. In the lamplight, Lance notices the deep burgundy of Keith’s wings, flaked with different shades of gold. Lance also notice the mullet that Keith is sporting. His nose crinkles. “Nice mullet.” he says, voice dripping in sarcasm. Keith’s eyes spark with annoyance and he whacks the back of Lance’s head with tip of his right wing. Lance growls, pinching Keith’s thigh. A satisfied smirk curls his lips as Keith yelps and cups his thigh. He goes to hit Lance again, but Lance throws up his hands. “Truce, _truce_.” Lance says, as he flips open his laptop and presses print on the top left hand corner of the screen. The printer on his desk hums as it come to life, spitting out paper after paper. Keith takes a seat on the rolling chair, bringing up his left leg.

“So, if there are guardian angels, are there other mythical creatures? Is there a god?” Lance asks, kicking off his shoes so he can draw his legs up underneath him.

“I’m not sure your puny brain can handle such information.” Keith says, nibbling on his thumbnail. “Hey!” Lance protests, grabbing a pillow to swing at Keith.

“You said truce.” Keith says and Lance smiles.

“Oh come on, I was about to _wing_ it at you.” Keith groans, rubbing his face.

“There are fae, along with demons and sorcerers. There is no god though, just magic.” Keith confesses. Lance cocks his head to the side, eyebrows knitted together. “So magic is the reason all of you exist? It can’t be as simple as that.”

“It’s not. _You’re_ just simplifying the idea of magic. You have to look at magic as if it is a living breathing thing. It’s like,” Keith bites down on his bottom lip as he searches for the right way to describe magic. “It’s the sky. No, the _universe_. Magic has always been there, it’s the very fabric of time and space. Magic, magic is _everywhere_.”

“How did the different species come about?” Lance asks, propping his head on his hand. The printer beeps as it spits out the last page of his paper, but he doesn’t get up. “According to the tales, the fae came first. The the sorcerers were born due to the fae mating with humans,” Keith ruffles his wings, nearly knocking over Lance’s textbooks, again. “The guardians were born when the sorcerers decided to combine a human conscience with a bird. Those are just stories though, no one is actually sure how we all came to be.”

“What about demons?” Lance asks, and a shadow seems to pass over Keith’s face. “Demons are born when any of the species’ abuses their magic. It doesn’t matter if they are a fae, or a sorcerer. Or a-” Keith cuts himself off, clutching at the edge of his chair. “Or a guardian.”

“How does it happen?” Lance asks, voice wavering.”They become obsessed with magic.Then it slowly eats at them.At their humanity. And then there’s just nothing left of them. Sometimes it morphs their body. Sometimes the process is merciful and they die before they’re completely corrupted.”

“And if they don’t”

“Then you have to do it yourself.” An edge has taken to Keith’s voice. Lance has enough sense to know that the subject has ended there. “So, do you have any magical abilities?” Lance asks, easily finding something new to talk about. After all, it’s not everyday that you find out have have a magical being as your overseer. “Fire.”

“ _Fire_? Like Zuko?!” Lance preens, a giddy smile breaking across his face. Keith rolls his eyes, regret at telling Lance his power is written all over his face. “Can you show me?” Lance asks, smiling bright and wide. “No.”

“Please?”

“No.”

“I won't complain about how you are as a guardian for two weeks. In fact, I won’t complain _at all_.”

* * *

 

Keith immediately perks up at the offer. After hearing Lance complain for fourteen long years, he could go for Lance shutting the fuck up for once. He crosses legs, leaning back into the chair. “And what if you do complain?” He asks, quirking an eyebrow. “Jeez, don't get kinky on me now.”

“No one would ever wanna get kinky with you, Lance.” Lance scoffs at this, pressing his fingers into his chest. “Plenty of people would want to get kinky with me.” He protests and Keith laughs. “Sure, name them.” Lance falters, his eyes darting down. “Touché.” Lance says, leaning back into the wall.

“What do you want then?” Lance asks.

“Candy. Chocolates, lollipops.” Keith immediately demands. “Bit of a sweet tooth?” Lance grins. Keith lets out a puff of air. Sure, he has a bit of a sweet tooth. Who doesn’t? He can’t very well walk into a candy shop and buy candy. Well he can, but he’d have to make sure Lance was nearby. Also, glamouring just his wings was a pain in the ass to do. “Deal, now show me the fire.” Lance’s eyes glint with excitement as Keith holds out a hand. He feels the magic swell up in him, like drawing a bucket up from a well. The flames flicker in the palms of his hand, warm and blue. He wills the flame to snake through the spaces between his fingers, before he extinguishes it entirely.

Lance’s mouth is hanging open, eyes wide. Keith snaps fingers and Lance blinks, grinning. “That was so cool. Or should I say-”

“Don’t” Keith cuts him off, but Lance cannot be stopped.

“ _Hot_.” Lance cackles and Keith throws his head back to look at the ceiling. Why me? Why?

“Maybe this is why I could care less about being your guardian.” Keith sighs. Lance gasps in as if he was appalled, maybe he was. “My puns are top notch, Keith. _Top notch_.” Lance argues, trying to fight a smile.

“Mmhmm, sure, keep telling yourself that.” Keith says. Lance yawns and checks the time on his clock.

* * *

 

2:00 AM. Shit. He has work at eight tomorrow, and needed to sleep. He stares past Keith for a moment at the empty bed across from his. A pang of sadness shoots through him. His best friend Hunk, was currently studying abroad in Europe. He talks to him everyday of course, but he still misses him greatly. Hunk’s stories are filled with the stories of the places he’s visited. He even met a girl named Shay.

Hunk is still the only one who humors Lance by laughing at his puns.

He tears his gaze away from the empty bed, settling on Keith. “Where do you go when I sleep?” He asks, slightly disturbed that he may have had some magical being sleeping in the same room as him for fourteen years without him ever knowing. “I go to my world.”

“There are different worlds? Can you take me to them?” Lance immediately asks, and Keith rolls his eyes. “No, you can’t” Keith says, standing. He stretches his wings, actually taking watch to make sure he didn't knock over anything. He holds his palms out, the air crackling as the air shimmers and parts for him. “Night, Lance.” He says, before stepping into the portal. Disappearing, as if he was never there.

Lance blinks. _Well, I guess that just happened_. He gets up and stretches, grabbing his paper from the printer and stapling it. He starts to set it down on his desk, but knows better and puts it in his bag. The zipper is loud in the quiet room.  
Lance takes out his phone and smiles fondly. Hunk has sent him a few pictures of the foods he had today, and a goodnight text.

 ** _Lance to Hunk_**  
i’m sorry this is late! But I’ll call you later of course, good night, love you!!  
2:30 AM

He sends the message out before stripping out of his pants and shirt, bringing the covers to his chin. Lance thinks that surely after finding out about Keith, his “guardian angel” and the vast world of magic that he has been oblivious to for twenty years of his life, that he wouldn't be able to sleep for the night. 

As soon as Lance's head his the pillow, he was out like a light.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will probably be a few more updates this weekend. I'll try to get as much out, before monday. You can always contact me at my tumblr here http://thegraygirl.tumblr.com


	3. Touch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance and Keith slowly learn how to tolerate one another. Maybe a little more than that.

Lance Mcclain has always hated mornings. He especially hates it when he is woken up earlier than needed. So when Keith decides to wake Lance up by hitting his face with his wing at six in the damn morning, Lance is _not_ a happy camper.

“What the actual _fuck_ , Keith.” Lance snarls, jolting upwards. He rubs furiously at his nose, trying to get that sneezy feeling out of his head. Keith stares passively past Lance’s shoulder, wishing he had something, anything, better to do than be Lance’s guardian. “I don’t even have to be up right now.” Lance says, glaring daggers at Keith.

Keith shrugs, further igniting Lance’s anger. “Fucking, do you have to be such a _dick_? Like do wake up in the morning and ask yourself “What can I do to piss off Lance today?”” he shakes his hands at Keith, grinding his teeth together. “Aren’t you supposed to help me? As you can tell Keith, I need all the help I can get. Just, if you despise this so much, can’t you just quit?”

“No, I have to take care of you till you die.” Keith says, finally meeting Lance’s enraged eyes.

“I’m gonna die before I hit old age.” Lance says, his voice high pitched. Keith rolls his eyes, shaking his head. “No, I do have to protect you from dying.”

“And if you don’t?”

“This,” Keith gestures his wings in a sweeping gesture, “Would be all taken away. I’d be banished to this world.” Lance furrows his brows at this new piece of information. _Magic can be stripped from you?_

“They can do that?” Lance asks, covering his mouth as he yawns. “Yes, but it’s rare that a guardian angel messes up that bad, we’re already a small population.”

“Why?”

“Babies are rare among the races. Each child takes some more magic out of the world. Plus, with demons, that take more, and more magic, it depletes it even more. We’re all just scared we’d be taking too much if we populated like you guys.”

Lance nods along, taking in as much as he can about how these worlds function. “Can you give up your magic willingly?” Lance asks, his at Keith completely forgotten.

“Yes, but that’s even rarer. Who would actually want to give up magic, for the human world?”

“I mean, the human world is pretty _magical_. Sometimes.” Lance shrugs.

“How?” Keith asks, perplexed on how a world without magic could be great. “I mean, since we all face the inevitability of death, we all have to make each moment count. We can't just go through the motions, because one moment you could be living and breathing, but in the next you could be dead. Plus, we have so many things you can get into. Like video games, music, movies.” Lance says, exasperated.

“Wow Lance. I’m surprised you could say something that poetic.” Keith says, smiling faintly.

“Can’t you be nice for once?” Lance cries, Keith shrugs, crossing his arms. “You owe me candy, by the way.” He points out, Lance has technically complained multiple times already.

“What? Why?” Lance asks, fumbling to remember why he would have to give Keith candy now. Oh. Right. He did say he wouldn’t complain, and now he’s already done it multiple times in the span of ten minutes. God dammit, he didn't even last a day.

“Fine, whatever.” Lance says, throwing the covers off of his body. Keith moves back, sitting on Hunk’s empty bed. Lance scowls, about to tell him to get off, but he's not doing any harm. He fishes a t-shit and jeans out of his dresser. “I’m going to take a shower.” He tells Keith, opening the door, before slamming it shut.

* * *

 Keith lays back on the bed, careful to tuck his wings close to his body. _Maybe I should help Lance out a bit more_. The thought perplexes Keith. He’s never actually cared to be a better guardian to Lance. It’s probably because he now is talking to Lance that he cares a bit more. Just a bit more, nothing too serious. Just a smidgen of compassion.

Keith looks over at the time. 7:20. Lance still has plenty of time to get ready for work, the cafe only being ten minutes away from campus. Knowing in Lance he’ll manage to be late anyways. Why did Allura even hire him? She already knows Lance is clumsy, why would you want someone who’s clumsy working at a coffee shop.

Granted, some of Lance’s clumsiness can be blamed on Keith. His wings always bumping into things near him, but he will gladly blame Lance for that any day.

Keith jolts as the doors slams open. He tilts his head back, to see Lance towel drying his hair. “Did you do your fabulous skin routine?” Keith asks, grinning. Ever since Lance was thirteen he always made sure to do this horribly long skin routine, every morning. “ _Yes_. How else would I achieve this.” Lance gestures to his face, hanging the towel on the end of his small bed. Keith does have to admit, Lance has never broken out before. Lance pulls on his shoes, tucking his wallet and keys into his back pocket.

Lance turns towards Keith, eyebrows scrunching together. “How do you get your wings through your shirt?” Lance asks. Out of all the questions Keith was prepared for this wasn't one of them. “There are slits on the back.” He says, turning to show Lance the wide slits of his jacket. Keith never in a million years would expect to feel Lance’s gentle touch on his wings, gently ruffling his greater coverts. Gooseflesh raises on his arms and neck and he quickly moves away from Lance’s touch. “Sorry.” Lance says, his voice quiet. “Come on, you’ll be late.” Keith grumbles, glamouring himself before he leaves the dorm room entirely. 

 

* * *

 Lance chews on his bottom lip. Should he feel guilty? He probably should have asked if he could touch Keith's wings before hand, but he just got caught up in the moment. He flexes his hands, remembering the soft feeling of Keith's feathers underneath his hand. Were his wings especially sensitive? Lance recalls how he threw the pillow at Keith, which caused so much pain that his disguise would fall, but on the other hand Keith was always batting Lance with his wings. Maybe he just didn't like being touched? Lance tries to come up with a something to explain what just happened, but time is short and he needs to go to work.

On the walk to Cafe of The Lions, Keith doesn't say a word to Lance. He doesn't even try to mess with him.  _I fucked up_. Lance thinks glumly, as he grabs the cafes door, holding it open just in case Keith needs to slip through. "You're late."Allura chimes, as she see Lance. "By two minutes." Lance protests as he goes to the back to grab his smock. He takes Allura's place behind the counter and she goes to the back for her break. No one is on line just yet, so Lance grabs a cup and makes a caramel macchiato for Keith. Extra caramel. He draws a small set of wings on top, setting it down. For a moment it sits there untouched, but then it disappears. "Thanks." Keith says, causing Lance to nearly jump out of his skin, but smiles to himself, humming in acknowledgment. At least that's fixed.

The bells strapped to the door chime and Lance pales as he sees Pidge. "Morning, Lance!" they smile. "Yeah, yeah, free coffee coming right up." he grumbles. He pours dark roast into a large cup, followed by two shots of espresso and some milk. "Mmmm." Pidge hums appreciatively, grabbing the cup from Lance. They take a long drag, nearly finishing half of it in one go. Lance crinkles his nose, "How do you even drink it like that?' He asks, not being able to wrap his mind around how Pidge is able to drink it like that without any sugar. Like do they hate themselves that much that they must drink the bitterest kind of coffee imaginable?

They take a seat at one of the nearby tables, whipping out their computer and working on god knows what. Pidge is only fifteen and already in their first year of college, majoring in computer science. It still shocks Lance that they're so young, yet blindingly intelligent. Hunk first introduced Pidge to Lance when Pidge was in Hunk's AP science course. And whoever was a friend to Hunk was a friend to Lance. "The coffee is great by the way." they say and Lance grins.

"Can you say you like it _a-latte."_ Lance grin and Pidge sighs, but to Lance's joy they're grinning. 

* * *

Keith rolls his eyes at Lance's pun, but he can't stop himself from smiling. Lance's puns are good sometimes he'll give him that. He takes another sip of the drink Lance gave him, smiling into the cup. The caramel is sweet and _delicious_ , catering to Keith's sweet tooth. Keith didn't gloss over the fact that Lance actually took his time to carefully draw a small pair of wings onto the froth.  _I guess Lance can be a good person._

* * *

Lance strips off his smock as eleven nears, having to get to class. "I'll see you later, Allura!" Lance calls out as he pulls on his coat. He shoulders the door open, the cold air biting into his skin. He shivers, stuffing his hand into his pocket. The air ruffles his hair, causing his coat to whip around him.

Suddenly the air still around him. "Keith?" Lance asks, surprised that Keith would do this for him. "Don't mention it." Keith says, waving his hand. Lance frowns, trying to find a way to communicate with Keith  _without_ looking like a nut job. He gasps, fishing his phone out of his pocket. Lance presses the phone to his ear as if taking a phone call.

"You know what Keith, I think you're becoming a better guardian." he smiles. Keith lightly pushes him with his wing, he can't let Lance get too used to this.

 

 

 


	4. Paint

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith makes a pretty big mistake.

Keith perches himself on Lance's desk, fiddling with his gloves. The fumes from the paints tickle his nose and he settles his stare on Lance. Did he always have to work with the paints that always carried the worst kind of smell? It was like the time when Lance was nine and refused to work with anything but sharpie. Keith was sure he was going to pass out at some point. Keith smiles to himself, his mother was livid when she realized that the sharpie bled right through Lance's paper and onto the dining room table. Keith was never entirely sure what Lance's mother said that day, since it was wholly in Spanish, but man did Lance look like he saw a ghost.

A dull pain seizes his heart as he remembers a faint memory of his mother. It was when he first started to use his fire, but it got out of control. Too out of control. He remembers smoke and heat. He remembers his Mother's hands digging into his shoulders, tears streaking down her face. His mother pulled him close that day, sobbing incoherently about how she almost lost him. It's a blessing how Keith doesn't remember the pain of what he did to himself. His mom managed to get the best healers for him, the only remaining scars marking his hands. 

Keith's eyes sting and he rubs his eyes. His gaze falls and his breath catches in his throat. Lance is hunched over as he adds fine details to the expanse of a sunset sky. A field of flowers sway in a phantom wind. Lance reaches over to his pallet, dipping his fine brush into a soft pink, layering it onto the soft lilac sky. Keith leans forward, trying to get a better look, but to his horror his wing catches on something. As quick as lightning he reaches out to stop the tragedy from unfolding, but it's too late. The tube of paint splatters onto Lance's work, ruining it entirely.  _Shit_.

* * *

 

Lance sees red for a moment. Complete and utter red. He sets his brush down slowly, softly. Lance leans back into his seat, the world becoming a faint buzz. Two months of work down the drain, and it only took a matter of a few seconds. Only a moment ago he was calmly hunched over his work, trying to create a sunset colored sky (it kinda looked like cotton candy though) and now? Blue plaint splatters the sky. The flowers. He takes a deep breath, clutching the edge of his seat in a white knuckled grip. "I am so sorry." Keith says, his voice genuine, but Lance is having none of it. None of it. Keith has always been a shitty guardian, why should he believe he's sorry now? He could probably fix his painting, but he's too upset. So he loads up his paints into his bag, puts the ruined painting onto a shelf and promptly leaves on the excuse he is not feeling well. 

Lance's feet drag as he heads towards his dorm room, ignoring Keith entirely. He worked on that for _two months_ , and Keith had to  ruin it all.  _Fuck_. Lance is so enraged that his conscience seems to have detached itself from his body and he just takes himself to his dorm like a robot. Lance fishes his key from his pocket, not even bothering to leave the door open for Keith before he slams the door shut. The sound reverberating through the dorm. "Lance-"Keith starts, but Lance simply raises his hand, shaking his head. " _No_ , just leave Keith. Can't you just go back to guardian land for the day?  _Just leave_." Lance snarls.

"I didn't mean to knock the paint over, Lance." 

"No. How am I supposed to believe you? You've never really tried to better my life! In fact, you've only made it even more  _difficult_." Lance throws his hands up as he rants, his voice cracking.

* * *

 

Lance's words sting and Keith shoulders hunch forward. The worst part? Lance's words are not wrong in the slightest. Keith never actively tried to be a guardian for Lance, his highest standards being that he needs to keep Lance alive and uninjured. Until now he never really cared abut the consequences of his actions. On how they effected Lance. If Lance never found out about him, Keith would have never batted an eye at accidentally knocking over Lance's paint (okay he would have felt a little bad, after all he's not _completely_ soulless) but now that he has actually talked to Lance, and has to hear how he actually has hurt him. Keith feels like total shit. 

He can't actually leave and give Lance space too. He always has to wait till Lance is going to bed before he can return to his home, but if he just leaves Lance during the day he could end up in some serious trouble. He parts his mouth, before shutting it again. Keith stands there doing this for a good minute, floundering for an answer like fish out of water.

They stand there silently, before Keith finally manages to say something. "I know you have no reason to actually believe me, but I really didn't mean to knock over that paint, Lance. It was an honest mistake and I am really, _really_ sorry." Keith says, knotting his hands in the hem of his shirt. Lance sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose in thought. "Okay. I believe you." Lance says finally and Keith lets loose a loud breath. "I'm still upset though, but I could probably find some way to fix it." Lance continues, his voice losing all of the edge it previously held.

"Can I help in any way?" Keith offers.

"No, you need to stand as far as you can when I'm handling paints." Lance laughs. He may have forgiven Keith, but he doesn't trust him to be around his art, just yet.

"It was really pretty, by the way." Keith says softly. Lance furrows his eyebrows, not quite sure what Keith is referring to for a moment. His art? "What was pretty?" Lance asks, causing Keith to roll his eyes. Did he have to be so daft all the time? "Your painting, dumbass." he says, a light pink staining his cheeks. Lance smirks, crossing his arms. "That is the nicest thing you've said to me. Thank you." Lance smiles, plopping himself onto his bed. Keith grumbles something under his breath, too low for Lance to understand. 

"What was that?"

"I said "Don't get used to it."" Keith says, taking a seat across from Lance. They fall into amicable silence, before Lance pulls out his laptop, settling it on his lap. "I have some time to kill, do you wanna watch something, or play a video game?" Lance offers, Keith pauses unsure if he actually wants to take Lance up on his offer. He had to deal with Lance getting into Naruto when he was ten, and sit through those god awful marathons. He didn't mind it at first, actually getting into it, but then it never ended. Keith thought he was actually going to punch through the TV if he had to hear Naruto say "Dattebayo!" one more damn time.

"Maybe, what do you want to watch?" Keith asks. Lance shrugs, lowering himself onto the floor, beckoning Keith to follow. His knee presses against Lances as he sits on the hard floor, his right wing nearly brushing Lance's back. This close to Lance he can actually smell the scent of paint and coffee that has embedded itself in Lance's clothes over the years. What?  _Why am I thinking about the way Lance smells_? Keith brushes it off immediately as an observation he's made since they've never been this close before. 

Lance opens up Netflix, scrolling through the titles absentmindedly. Keith's eyes snag on a title,  _Stranger Things_. "What's that?" he asks, stopping Lance. "Hmm? Which one?' He asks.

" _Stranger Things_?" Keith says, pointing at the title of the bright screen.

"Oh! I've heard about that. I've never actually watched it before." Lance says, his voice bright with enthusiasm. 

Starting  _Stranger Things_  when Lance had work in a few hours was an honest mistake. After the first episode both him and Keith were utterly hooked. They both giggled at the banters between the kids, especially Mike and Dustin. It was Keith who noticed the time after they finished the third episode, the fourth one already booting up to play, when Keith's eyes widened at the time. 5:40. Lance should have left for work already. 

"Um, Lance?" Keith says, leaning over to pause the episode.

"Yeah?"

"You're late for work."

" _What_?" Lance cries, jolting upwards. He rips his coat from the hook and haphazardly stuffs whatever he needs into his pockets before he nearly rips the door handle off its hinges.  _Allura is going to kill me_. Keith is quick to glamour himself following a panicked Lance out of the dorm. 

Lance has never been an athletic type, but he makes sure that the ten minute walk to the cafe was cut down to five. He shoulders open the door, his chest heaving as he pants. "And where were you?" Shiro asks from the first table. " _Shhhh_. Where's-"Lance is cut off by someone clearing their throat. That someone being Allura.

"Hello, Lance." She smiles. It would be a friendly smile, but if looks could kill. Lance would be vaporized on the spot. "I am so sorry, Allura. My art project got ruined due to some paint falling onto it, and I had a little mental breakdown." Lance says, he's not lying exactly. Lance couldn't very well tell Allura he got caught up watching  _Stranger Things_  with Keith, his guardian angel. He could only imagine how that conversation would go.

" _Lance, when was the last time you slept?_ "

" _When did college start?_ "

Lance may or may not have grinned at the thought, but he quickly is brought back to reality by Allura's stare. To his surprise it softens. "Okay, you're off the hook.  _For now_." She says and for a second he is thankful for Keith's mistake since without it Allura would have probably been pissed with him for being late without a valid excuse. He goes to the back and ties his smock around his waist. "Do you want another drink?" he asks Keith, looking around the room. He jolts as Keith flicks his right arm. Lance swats his hand away, rubbing his arm. " _Ow_. That actually hurt!" He goes to flick him back, but he hits empty air. Keith laughs, it's a soft sound that Lance has never heard before. "Now you don't get a drink." Lance says, but they both know doesn't mean it.  

Lance's shift drones on and on, customers drifting in and out of the shop non stop. Lance finally has his break and grabs two cups from the shelf. He makes himself a vanilla latte and for Keith a hot chocolate. Once he sets it down it disappears immediately. Lance smiles, at least one person appreciates his hard work. He goes to the back, Allura taking his place behind the cash register.

"How's the drink?" Lance asks, taking a seat. A chair is pulled out from the table, creaking slightly as Keith sits down."It's good." Keith says, genuinely. They fall silent before Lance asks a question he's been meaning to ask.

"Can you appear in public, or no?" Lance asks, not wanting to talk to the air when he was alone at work, or have to have fake phone conversations all the time. "I can, but it would be difficult to just glamour my wings." Keith explains. As he says this Keith flickers into existence, but it disorients Lance for a moment. If Lance hadn't known better Lance would have thought Keith was a normal human being, his massive wings completely gone. In the bright light of the workroom Lance finally  _sees_  Keith for the first time. Keith's eyes are a deep purple, nearly black. His face delicate and fine boned. Lance's heart thumps in his chest. Keith is  _pretty._

Lance blinks, clearing his throat as he tries to think of something else. "So, do you wanna stop by the grocery store on the way back to the dorm? We can get popcorn and candy if you want?" Lance asks. Keith immediately perks up at the mention of candy. "What kind of question is that? Of course I want to get candy."

* * *

 

Keith stacks a candy into his arms, adding bag of gummy bears, kit kats, and milk duds to his already large collection. His wings are glamoured and tucked impossibly tight to his back as he goes to find Lance. In the exact moment Lance comes down the candy isle, nearly toppling them both over. Lance clutches a bag of popcorn and chips to his chest, his fingers holding a bottle of soda. 

"So-" Lance begins to apologize, but upon seeing Keith's candy mountain he stops in his tracks. "No." he simply says.

"Please?" Keith says, pouting. Lance feels himself begin to give.

"No."

"Pretty please?"

Lance ended up paying for thirty dollars in _candy_.

* * *

 

Keith yawns as they finish the final episode of  _Stranger Things_ the clock reading that it was nearing four in the morning. Empty bags of candy litter the floor surrounding them. " _They can't leave us like that!"_ " Lance says, as the ending credits finish. "That's what season two is for." Keith says, even though he too is upset that they would leave it on such a big cliffhanger like that. "I need to know if my baby Eleven is okay." Lance cries. 

"Okay, she probably is. Hopefully." Keith says, trying to reassure Lance that she will probably be in the next season, but in all reality he was worried too. 

Lance pushes up of the ground, groaning slightly as his muscles stretch and feeling returns to his legs and feet. Keith follows suit, wincing at the pins and needles in his feet.He stretches his wings, rolling the joints in his back.  _Well I guess I gotta go._ He thinks glumly, realizing that he didn't exactly want to leave just yet.

He helps Lance clear the floor of their garbage, dumping it all in Lance's small waste basket. They stand there awkwardly for a moment, the quiet that settles when a friend has to leave, but you don't want them to just yet.

"You can take Hunk's bed if you want?" Lance offers, Keith turns it over his head for a moment. In the morning he would have to go and change clothes and bathe, but other than that nothing is really stopping him. Then why is he so hesitant? After a few moments, Lance clears his throat. 

"It's fine you-" Keith cuts him off. 

"Sure, I think I'll stay." He says.


	5. Dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hunk is a babe.

Lance’s life has gotten marginally better ever since Keith has actually started to help him out a bit more. Sure, his life hasn't done a complete 360 in a month, _but_ Lance has noticed he’s been getting into fewer and fewer accidents over the past few weeks. For example, Lance will accidentally knock into a coffee machine, or some other object (he can't really keep track of all the things he bumps into, that would be impossible) and it would right itself almost immediately. Keith has also helped Lance study for upcoming exams, or would even reread Lance’s papers and would check for any errors.

This was the happiest Lance has felt ever since Hunk left for Europe.

Not only was Lance getting into fewer accidents, but he's also made a great friend too. Okay, maybe it’s a little more than that. Maybe Lance has caught the slightest of feelings for Keith. Maybe.

Lance could never act out on these feelings anyways, Keith being his guardian angel and an eternally youthful being, it just wouldn’t work out. That doesn’t stop Lance’s heart from fluttering in his chest. That doesn’t stop the blush creeping into Lance’s cheeks when he actually manages to make Keith laugh with one of his awful puns, or when they’re sitting close together, hunched over Lance’s computer as they binge yet another show. Keith’s wings brushing gently across his back, or his thigh pressed against his.

That doesn’t stop Lance’s thoughts from wandering to Keith in the middle of the night, when Keith has gone home. Thinking about how awfully pretty Keith is. About his grins and smiles he’ll sometimes flash Lance. He thinks about how it would feel to hold his hand, to feel Keith’s touch against his skin.

Maybe Lance likes Keith more than he lets on.

* * *

 

 “ _Lance_.” Hunk laughs, snapping Lance out of his thoughts.

“Sorry, sorry!” Lance says, cheeks flushing in embarrassment. He could brush off failing to reply for a few moments due to it being three in the morning, Lance having been up since eight. But he would be lying to himself.

“So who is it?”

“Hmm?” Lance asks, eyebrows knitting together.

“Who do you like?” Hunk chuckles, making Lance’s heart ache.

Wait.

_What?_

_How could Hunk possibly know I like someone?_

“Pfft. I don’t like _anyone_.” The response is immediately out of Lance’s mouth like a gun shot. Lance chews on him bottom lip knowing very well he just gave himself away. Lance should have honestly expected Hunk to pick up that Lance liked someone even they are a sea apart. Of course Hunk would know, over fifteen years of friendship, how could Lance not see that coming?

“Mmmhmm, sure Lance, _sure_.” he can practically see Hunk’s eyebrows raise at his lie.

“Okay, maybe I like someone.” Lance mumbles into his phone.

“” _Maybe_ ”? Dude, this is a full blown crush.” A choked sound escapes Lance’s throat that neither he or Hunk could say was entirely human. His heart pounds in his chest. He may like Keith, but he is in no way shape, or form ready to come to terms with it. Lance hasn't had a crush like this in a long time, not since freshman year when he was head over heels for Allura. He used the worst pick up lines ever on Allura. On one occasion Lance, with a straight face, said to Allura “Hey, you look very _alluring_ today.”

He is still surprised to this day Allura never punched him in the face that year.

“Lance, you don't have to tell me who it is.” Hunk says. Lance takes a breath.

“His name is Keith.” Lance confesses. The story then pours out of him like an overturned glass. He tells Hunk of how Keith has been helping him with his homework. Of how they binge Netflix all the time. He tells Hunk about Keith’s smile, and how his laugh is one of Lance’s favorite sounds. He tells Hunk how Keith made him spend over _thirty dollars_ on candy. Of course, Lance never speaks a word about how Keith is his guardian angel (Hunk can take a lot from Lance, but telling him about guardian angels would be a bit of a stretch.)

“Where did you meet him?” Hunk asks. Lance freezes. _Where would I meet Keith, that would be believable?_

“The coffee shop.” Lance says. It was the best lie he could give Hunk. The coffee shop was on of Keith’s favorite places. Lance always tries to give him something new to try everyday, but Keith’s favorite by far is Lance’s caramel macchiato.

“Awww, how precious.” Hunk teases. Lance rolls his eyes.

“Should you be talking? Mister, “Shay is so cute! Shay really liked what I cooked today! Shay-””

“Shhhhh! She is though!” Hunk interrupts, causing Lance to snicker.

Hunk and Lance fall back into playful banter, falling into bouts of laughter that get too loud. The conversation slowly turns towards past memories they had together, which is not a conversation that should be held when it is nearly five in the morning.

“Do you-” Hunk wheezes, causing the phone line to crackle. “Do you remember when you fell off a horse in third grade and fractured your coccyx, and you-” he can’t even finish the sentence before they're both cackling. Clutching at their aching stomachs.

“And you didn't even want to tell the teacher. You had me help you up, and insisted you were okay, but you were crying so _hard_.” Lance snorts, causing them to both laugh harder.

The sky outside begins to lighten to a soft blue, signaling that Lance should probably get to bed if he wants to be somewhat functioning today. Thankfully it was Saturday and he just had to work later today. After they both quiet down (not really, both of them end up giggling through their heavy breaths) Hunk gasps. “Lance, isn't it like five over there?”

“Maybe.”

“Go to bed.” Hunk urges and Lance smiles into the phone.

“Okay, _Mom_.”

“I love you.” Hunk says, meaning every word of it.

“I love you too, miss you. Give Shay my best regards!”

“I will.” The line goes dead and Lance collapses on the bed, a broad smile plastered onto his face. His eyes flutter close and he falls asleep nearly instantly.

* * *

 

Lance dreams of wings and gloved hands.

* * *

 

 

Keith tucks his wings close to his body as he plummets towards the ground like a bullet. At the last minute his wings shoot out, gliding on the wind they catch. His cheeks and ears are flushed, his breath clouding in front of him. He should be sleeping right now, but his thoughts were far too jumbled to let him rest.

He never meant for this to happen. If someone were to ask Keith if he ever thought he would fall in love with whom he was supposed to protect, Keith would have most definitely said no.

_Things change I guess._

Well, it’s not love, quiet yet. It’s certainly a huge crush though, that needs to go away this _instant_. How did this even happen? One moment Keith was fine, and the next? His damn hands are sweating and his heart starts to race like it’s in a marathon. _Fuck, Lance only smiled what is wrong with me?_ he frequently asks himself. Why couldn’t he just like Lance platonically? The worst fucking part is that he probably won’t move on from Lance. Keith is already isolated, the only other guardian angel to visit him is Coran, Allura’s father’s guardian.

Another thing that causes Keith to so vehemently dread liking Lance.

Lance is mortal.

Keith is an eternally youthful.

Keith will have to watch Lance slowly shrivel up and die one day. While he remains untouched and exactly the same as when Lance first met him. The idea makes Keith’s heart ache in his chest. He was always bothered by the idea that Lance would die one day, as all human do, but now it makes Keith want to scream with the unfairness of it. The law doesn’t strictly say that a guardian cannot fall in love with their human, it’s quiet uncommon really.

How could one fall in love with someone they’ve always just watched from afar? That’s destined to die?

Keith wishes he could take back that day he started to talk to Lance. To have better control over his magic so his glamour would have never fallen. He wishes that he never, ever got to know Lance, that they never became friends. It’s horrible him to wish this, but that would be so much better than _this_. He often thinks about making Lance hate him, about the ways he could just have Lance loathe him, but he is too much of a coward to do it. Keith would rather claw his eyes out than hurt Lance intentionally.

At the same time he loves every minute he spends with Lance. He loves the hours they could spend binging someone on Netflix, or playing some awful computer game. He loves sitting with Lance as his draws, his hands stained with charcoal or bright paints. He loves the little moments they have in the coffee shop, when an especially odd customer will come in and Lance always tries to look for Keith, as if trying to say “ _Can you believe this right now?_ ” causing Keith to chuckle into his hand. Even if he isn't fully in love with Lance yet, he sure as hell likes him far too much.

Keith turns, heading back to his small home. The sky beginning to lighten, the stars flickering out one by one. He may like Lance, but he knows he probably wouldn't be able to handle him without any sleep for an entire day. He glides down, his feet touching lightly on the ground. His nearly frozen hands fumble with the door for a moment, but he manages to open it. Keith picks up a few logs, chucking them into his small fireplace before setting them aflame. His fingers unbuckle his gloves and he puts them on his bedside, before drawing off his clothing.

As he crawls into bed a giddy smile curls his lips before he can stop himself. _I get to see Lance soon_ , he muses, his heart swelling at the thought. There are so many cons to liking Lance, but for the moment Keith can dream. He can wish.

* * *

 

  
Keith dreams of paints and broad smiles.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> an update!! sorry this took longer than the other updates guys. Also, why can't I have a consistent writing style? I also wanted to say thank you for all the positive feedback you guys have been giving me!! its honestly the greatest thing in this world and i thought i should let you guys know.


	6. Mario Kart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance gets a wii.

Lance shifts, his eyes blinking open at the bright sunlight flooding the room. The first thing Lance notices is that it is weirdly quiet. The second thing he notices is that he woke up on his _own_. That hasn't happened in weeks, Keith usually waking him up in some rude manner or another (waking Lance up is an _absolute_ nightmare in Keith’s defense.) Lance rubs his eyes as he sits up, uselessly looking around for Keith in the empty room. _Maybe he’s just glamoured?_ Lance tries to reassure himself, hating the creeping anxiety that begins to well up in him. _Maybe he’s done with me? Maybe, maybe he knows I like him?_ Lance swallows thickly, rubbing at his face. He could be overthinking Keith’s absence, but he could be completely right. Pulling off the covers from his legs, Lance pulls on a pair of grey joggers (he couldn’t very well walk into a public hallway in his boxers, well it is college and he’s pretty sure everyone has stopped giving a fuck a while ago) and tries to go on with his day like he used to. Before Keith.

The hallway is eerily quiet for being past noon on a Saturday, Lance assumes everyone probably partied a bit too hard. _Gotta drink away your grades_. He giggles at his own thought, but that dies off quickly, Lance also wanting to drink away his grades, his tuition. _Wow, this morning has gotten depressing._

Lance shoulders open the boy’s shower doors, savoring the quiet. He drops his belongings on the chair outside of the shower. The shower curtain is damp underneath his touches he pulls it close, the rings screeching obnoxiously against the pipe. Lance immediately turns the knob all the way to the left, the water scalding as it touches his skin. He hopes this will distract him from his thoughts of Keith, but of course it doesn’t.

 

* * *

 

 

Keith may, or may not have fucked up really badly this time around. His eyes shoot up, pupils dilating at the harsh light in his room. _Fuck, I overslept. Shit, fuck._

In record time Keith pulls on his clothes, nearly spraining his wings in his franticness. The last thing his does is pull on his gloves, not caring that his hair looks like an utter wreck, before he rips open a portal between the worlds. His only command being to take me wherever Lance is, expecting him to be in his room.

The first thing Keith hears is running water as he enters the human realm. His head shoots up. _Oh_. The white tiles are nearly luminescent underneath the bright fluorescent lights and Keith has a jarring realization that he just walked in on Lance, the guy he currently liked, showering. Not only that, but Lance was singing really, _really_ badly (Lance can sing, he sings quiet well actually.)

Lance is obviously soaking up every moment he has alone in the shower room, which is evident when Lance throws open the shower curtain, _butt naked_ , and goes “ _SOMEBODY ONCE TOLD ME_.”

A screech escapes Keith as he turns away, his cheeks blazing. This of course causes Lance to yell out, a stream of incoherent words flooding from his mouth as he frantically wraps a towel around his hips.

“What the fuck, Keith?!” Lance screeches, his voice bouncing off the walls. Keith is still turned away from him, his hands cupping his face to cover his blush. “I didn't know you were in the shower! You never take showers at this time, I thought you would be in your room!” Keith hurriedly explains, his voice cracking.

“Haven’t you ever heard of knocking?”

“I’m sorry! I was just dropped off here!”

“Oh my _god_ , just go so I can change.” Lance groans, ushering Keith out the door. Keith awkwardly waits outside the bathroom door, his cheeks still pink with embarrassment. The hallway is quiet, aside from the stray student passing by here and there. Keith jolts when Lance shoves open the bathroom door, his cheeks flushed the same red.

Without a word Lance stalks off towards his room, holding the door open for Keith before entering himself. It’s quiet for a moment before they both snort, their laughter bubbling out of them. “Really, Lance? The _Shrek_ soundtrack?” Keith wheezes, clutching at his stomach. Lance laughs louder, leaning against his desk as he doubles over. “You were so confident too? Like ass fucking naked you threw open the door and went “ _Somebody once told me!_ ” Keith continues, wiping at his face as he tears up. They both continue to laugh, unable to actually speak to each other before they calm down.

“Where were you before?” Lance asks finally, but he giggles here and there.

“I overslept, sorry.”

“Me too.” Lance muses.

Lance fishes his phone from his back pocket, checking the time. Nearly one. He shifts on his feet then, a broad smile forming on his lips that makes Keith’s heart ache. “What?” Keith asks.

“My package should be arriving soon, Hunk is going to freak when he sees what I got.” Lance continues, the excitement bleeding out of him. “What, what did you get?”

“A TV and a Wii. A Wii that includes _Mario Kart_ and _Smash_.”

A faint memory comes back to Keith from Lance’s childhood. Memories of fights between his siblings that included a lot of yelling. Keith most notably remembers Lance’s older sister, Arabella, screaming “ _How dare you blue shell me, you fucking gremlin!_ ” before accidentally putting a hole in the wall when she waved her arms and the wii remote flew out of her hand.

“Didn’t that lead to a lot of fights in your family, before your mom had enough and took the Wii away entirely?” Keith grins.

“ _Listen_ , being bombed or shelled when you’re in first is a _crime_.” Lance protests, causing Keith to snort.

__

* * *

 

  
Lance looks like a child on Christmas as he lugs the box to his dorm. Keith’s wings are glamoured as he helps Lance bring up the package, both struggling to open the door. When they finally manage it, Lance places the box on his bed, heaving slightly. “Why the fuck was that so heavy?” Keith asks, trying to even out his breathing.

“Maybe you’re just weak.” Lance quips.

“Lance, you’re out of breath too.”

“Am not.”

“You are though.”

“Am not!” Lance protests, but his grin would say otherwise.

Lance drags the tip of his key along the tape, ripping it open immediately as it tears. The bubble wrap squeaks as he digs it out of the box, chucking it onto his bed. Keith picks small square of it up, popping one of the bubbles. This turns into him grabbing all of it off the bed and popping it like a child.

“This is the most relaxing thing I’ve ever done.” Keith murmurs, utterly entranced by bubblewrap.

“Really, Keith? Bubblewrap?”

“Haven’t you done this before?”

“Of course, but you should be helping me set up this TV.” Lance says, heaving a small TV from the box. Setting up the TV was probably the most stressful thing they’ve ever done together.

“No, that’s the wrong wire.” Lance snaps, as Keith yet again gets him the wrong wire.

“Asshole, maybe you should read the instructions?”

“It’s a TV? How hard could it be to set it up?”

“It’s been _thirty_ minutes.” Keith groans, rolling his eyes. After some more arguing they finally manage to get the TV up and running. Now the Wii.

“You do this.” Keith says, sitting on Lance’s bed. If Lance was going to bitch at him, then he could do it.

“Fine.” Lance shrugs, opening the Wii box a bit too roughly than necessary. Keith leans back against the wall, spreading his wings out. He’s about to bring up his feet, but without even looking at him Lance immediately catches what he is about to do. “Take your shoes off, or get off the bed.”

“Ugh.” Keith groans as he kicks off his boots, so he can bring his feet up and under him. Lance hovers over theTV, plugging some wire behind it and lets out a whoop when the black screen of the TV changes to the Wii opening screen. Lance grabs the two Wii remotes he has and opens the backs. He shuffles over to his desk, trying to avoid the garbage that litters the floor and grabs four double AA batteries. He hands the player two controller to Keith and Keith stares down at it like someone had just handed him a baby. “What do you want me to do?”

“What does it look like, Keith? I want you to play a few rounds of _Mario Kart_ with me.” Lance smiles.

Keith thinks back at the fights Lance and his siblings had and immediately refuses.

“Please.” Lance whines and Keith feels himself give in. Damn Lance and his cuteness. “Fine.”

“Hell yes.” He says, sitting down next to Keith. Both of their hearts skip a beat at this closeness. Both choose to ignore it.

“How do I play?”

“Hold the remote sideways, and 2 is for accelerating. To brake is 1. The back button is drifting, and then to use an item just press any button on the control pad.” Keith nods along, but he knows that he'll forget what to do once he starts playing.

“Which track are we doing?”

“Rainbow road.” Lance immediately says, grinning maniacally.

* * *

 

  
Keith has never encountered something more frustrating than Rainbow Road. He grits his teeth together as he once again drives off the course, causing Lance to cackle beside him. Honestly, Lance shouldn't be laughing at all, only being a few places above Keith and struggling just the same.

That’s when Keith gets a rocket and he smiles to himself. As he blasts off, he knocks Lance out of the way, much to Lance’s dismay and lands in fifth place. “ _You bitch_. You only placed ahead of me because of that rocket, not because of skill.” Lance whines and Keith chuckles into his sleeve.

Keith ends up taking off his jacket and setting it down on Lance’s bed. This is a problem. Lance realizes as he looks at Keith’s toned arms. _He could probably bench press me_. Lance blushes, distracted from the game. Keith takes this opportunity to zip past Lance, and take his place in first. _That cannot stand_. Lance finally takes his chance to use the item he’s been saving. His green shell. Sure, if someone did what he’s about to do to Keith, Lance would have most likely gone bat shit, but he is not going to let some rookie beat him in Mushroom Gorge. He clicks on the control pad. Bingo. A stream of curses tumble out of Keith as his car spins out of control, his character, Waluigi, making a god awful noise in the process. Lance snickers as he takes his rightful place in first. “Lance, what the fuck?” Keith snarls, enraged that Lance would do such a thing to him, when literally, on the same day he said doing that to someone was a “Crime.”

“Did you not say today that if you shelled someone in first it was a “Crime?”” Keith asks, as the race finishes.

“Do you have evidence I said that?” Lance asks, tapping the wii remote against his chin.

“No.”

“Then it didn't happen.” Lance shrugs. Keith clenches the wii remote so hard in his hand, you hear it creak. “Please, I just bought those.”

“Then maybe you shouldn't of been a dick and shelled me.” Keith pouts and Lance snorts. This, of course causes Keith to grin as well.

Lance stares at Keith for a moment, becoming aware of how close they are. Their legs are pressed together, their arms too. Lance can feel Keith’s wings on his back. His heartbeat immediately begins to race in his chest, his cheeks flushing. Lance’s eyes flicker down to Keith’s lips. It would be so easy to kiss him right now. He would just have to move forward, but he doesn’t.

Lance leans back, laughing about how Keith just sucks at Mario Kart, he doesn’t miss the disappointment that shines in Keith’s eyes. Wait. Why would Keith be disappointed?

 _Maybe, just maybe he likes me back?_ Lance feels a flicker of hope inside his belly, but Keith liking him back is very, very unlikely. _I mean, who could ever like me?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i don't know why i made this chapter such a meme


	7. Chapter 7

Hi everyone!!!

I am super sorry for dropping off the map, but I'm back! Also, sorry this is not a chapter update. This story is not over, but I do plan on restarting it.Looking back, I don't quite like how the world is set up, among other things. So!! Hopefully this time around will be much, much better. Also,I want to thank you guys too!! Reading your kind comments truly brought up my spirits and I can't thank you guys enough!!!

-StrayGod

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fanfiction I've ever published! I'll try to publish once a week, or more. 
> 
> you can contact me here! http://thegraygirl.tumblr.com


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